Introduction

Say hello, and tell us a little about yourself.
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beedee3
Posts: 5
Joined: Thu 17 Mar, 2016 2:59 pm
Location: Edinburgh
Organisation: This That & The Other
Interests: art and picture framing

Introduction

Post by beedee3 »

Hello I am new to this forum and new to picture framing. I started a class about 6 months ago, as I wanted to save my son money in regards to having his art work framed. I am loving the course and I am quite ok at it. I saw a morso on gumtree, very cheap! but I think someone has pipped me to it. What would people recommend for a beginner with not that much money to spare? Have been looking at the AXCALIBER MT1 MITRE TRIMMER but not sure!

Thanks
beedee3
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Rainbow
Posts: 891
Joined: Tue 23 Jun, 2015 8:51 am
Location: See my name, I'm somewhere over it
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Interests: varied

Re: Introduction

Post by Rainbow »

beedee3 wrote:I started a class about 6 months ago, as I wanted to save my son money in regards to having his art work framed.
Been there, done that, tee-shirt etc :D By the time you've spent XXXX on courses, equipment, materials etc, you might be questioning the amount of money "saved", but on the other hand, you'll have an enjoyable activity that one day you might make a profit from!

beedee3 wrote:Hello I am new to this forum and new to picture framing. I started a class about 6 months ago.... What would people recommend for a beginner with not that much money to spare? Have been looking at the AXCALIBER MT1 MITRE TRIMMER but not sure!
I've put an answer on another thread about this. What does your tutor recommend, as a matter of interest?

Welcome to the forum, by the way :)
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prospero
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Re: Introduction

Post by prospero »

Those sort of mitre trimmers are OK to a point. But they are trimmers not cutters as such. You have to rough-cut the mitres
on something else - usually a miter saw. So that's another piece of kit to buy. If you get a captive hand-saw that will set you
back a few more quids and while it will do the job, it's hard work on a large moulding. And that's eight cuts per frame. Do a
lot of frames and you'll find you get an achy arm. Been there....etc.
A power chop saw is easier and probably not a lot more expensive. They aren't really accurate enough for framing, but if you
are truing the mitres on a trimmer -fine. There is the issue of the noise and dust.
But apart from cutting true mitres you also have to cut two opposing sides exactly the same length. Never tried a trimmer but
I have a feeling that's wouldn't be easy.

All in all by the time you have bought all this kit and faffed about and ruined a few 100 quids worth of moulding you could have
bought a decent secondhand Morso. If you have room, get one. They are proper pro machines and will keep their value.
Even as scrap there is about 15 stone of prime steel. :lol:

Welcome to the Forum btw. :D
Watch Out. There's A Humphrey About
Jamesnkr

Re: Introduction

Post by Jamesnkr »

If you're doing a handful of frames a year in smallish mouldings then spend £20 on a saw mitre cutter and live with the faff and quality.

If you're doing more than that then go for the Morso. And get a proper underpinner too. Get them second hand from eBay/on this forum and they'll hold their value if you change your mind. They will save you loads of unsatisfactory frames... which means you will go out and buy them anyway.
beedee3
Posts: 5
Joined: Thu 17 Mar, 2016 2:59 pm
Location: Edinburgh
Organisation: This That & The Other
Interests: art and picture framing

Re: Introduction

Post by beedee3 »

Thank you's, all very helpful food for thought. I think I am planning to make more than a handful but not as a business. I believe I have the bug and never-ending supply of artwork. I will see what comes available second hand. Few questions re Morso. I have a polytunnel and half of it is a work space, would a Morso be ok in that environment? What do I need to think about? What up keep costs will there be? Ta
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Rainbow
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Re: Introduction

Post by Rainbow »

Jamesnkr wrote:If you're doing a handful of frames a year in smallish mouldings then spend £20 on a saw mitre cutter and live with the faff and quality.

If you're doing more than that then go for the Morso. And get a proper underpinner too. Get them second hand from eBay/on this forum and they'll hold their value if you change your mind. They will save you loads of unsatisfactory frames... which means you will go out and buy them anyway.
A bit of a faff compared with higher-end equipment, possibly as it's certainly more time-consuming. But the exercise is good for me. A handful of frames a year, you're way, way out. Unsatisfactory frames - you couldn't be more wrong. I get a lot of business through recommendations and only modesty prevents me from repeating some of the compliments I've had. Perhaps *you* wouldn't be able to get good results with craftsman's tools instead of equipment that does the job for you, but I assure you that I can :D
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